Literacy by Design Balanced Literacy Programs for Grades K-5

Literacy by Design core literacy curriculum features whole class interaction followed by differentiated small group instruction and shared connections followed by independent focus. A consistent instructional path ensures seamless reciprocity between Reading and Writing Workshop. This comprehensive, balanced literacy program is fully correlated to the Common Core State Standards and provides all the tools needed to inspire students through the art of active literacy.

Literacy by Design in your classroom
- Concise, consistent framework provides easy-to-follow, research-based instruction
- Gradual release of responsibility model empowers students
- Print, online, and mobile-friendly resources
Literacy by Design® is a registered trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Why?

Features

Resources

HMH Professional Services

Why?
We have the Common Core Covered.

You'll find intensive instruction and practice embedded in every Literacy by Design^® lesson. Students are instructed multiple times in each CCSS and encounter many opportunities to practice and master each Common Core literacy concept.

Rigby: the Leader in Leveled Reading

Rigby^® is the acknowledged leader in providing finely leveled texts that teachers have used to match student needs for over twenty years. You’ll find two complete lesson plans for every reader that align phonics, vocabulary, and fluency instruction to developmental reading levels.

Gradual Release Empowers Students

The gradual release of responsibility model slowly strips away scaffolding to empower students to take responsibility for their own learning. The strategic design of the program ensures success for every student by teaching grade-level skills along with developmental skills—all within a structure that supports a balanced literacy model of instruction.

Seamless Reciprocity Between Reader’s and Writer’s Workshops

Reading and writing components follow the same instructional path to ensure consistency and ease of use. Utilizing the reciprocal relationship between reading and writing gives students enhanced opportunities to practice and strengthen skills in multiple contexts.

Built-in Differentiation for Support and Enrichment

In whole class settings, students are exposed to on-level skills and texts; instruction in small-group settings is differentiated. Both types of instruction integrate teaching support to help English language learners and struggling learners access the core set of grade-level skills. Advanced students have opportunities for enrichment during whole class instruction and opportunities for acceleration during small group instruction with above grade level texts and skills.

In addition to addressing the Common Core, Literacy by Design assessments tools will evolve to align with PARCC and SBAC assessments to ensure seamless CCSS implementation. When final test formats are released, updated assessments and test preparation will help prepare your students to excel on national exams.

Literacy by Design® and Rigby® are registered trademarks of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Explore More
- Preview
  
  Take a tour
  
  Designed to meet students where they are, Literacy by Design provides targeted intervention and enrichment in small group while ensuring all students receive grade-level, whole class instruction covering all of the Common Core State Standards. Preview this innovative balanced literacy program below.
  
  Sample
  
  Experience a Literacy by Design lesson and hear from program authors.
  
  See Literacy by Design in action
  
  Connect to Intervention by Design for intensive intervention
  
  Intervention by Design, an intervention program for students reading well below grade level, can complement any core reading program, but you will find a seamless fit with Literacy by Design. Dr. Michael Opitz, author of Intervention by Design, is also on the Literacy by Design authorship team. Intervention in Intervention by Design dovetails with core instruction in Literacy by Design, allowing you to differentiate instruction according to student needs—because different students struggle for different reasons.
  
  Preview Intervention by Design now
- Common Core
  
  Comprehensive Coverage of the Common Core
  
  You'll find intensive instruction and practice embedded in every Literacy by Design^® lesson. Students are instructed multiple times in each CCSS and encounter many opportunities to practice and master each Common Core literacy concept. Additional lessons in the Essential Resource Guides provided targeted CCSS skill lessons.
  
  Utilizing the workshop model, Literacy by Design lessons link literacy skills across the curriculum with integrated, standards-based Science and Social Studies content. Reading instruction, writing practice, speaking and listening, and language development are all linked to the theme content to reflect the integrated literacy model of the Common Core State Standards.
  
  Literature and Informational Text
  
  All questions and tasks before, during, and after reading in Literacy by Design are designed to enhance student comprehension, encourage close reading, and provide extension to engage students further with text materials.
  
  Text-based Comprehension
  
  Comprehension instruction is explicit and connected to link whole class, small group, and independent reading of a variety of text types and lengths. Literacy by Design focuses on eight key research-based strategies for comprehension: Making Connections, Determining Importance, Using Fix-Up Strategies, Inferring, Synthesizing, Creating Sensory and Emotional Images, Asking Questions, and Monitoring Understanding.
  
  Comprehension Instruction: Intentional, Explicit, Focused (114k)
  
  Text Complexity
  
  Text complexity in Literacy by Design was determined through combined consideration of qualitative and quantitative measures to provide students with repeated opportunities to encounter and interact with complex text. Task and reader considerations were of particular focus, especially in developing multiple levels of text difficulty for small group reading to suit individual development needs.
  
  Text selection was guided by grade-level content connections in support of each grade’s science and social studies themes, by target proportions of nonfiction and fiction, and by specific goals for the broadest representation of genres and voices.
  
  Language
  
  Literacy by Design instruction in spelling, writing, oral language and listening comprehension provides a foundation for language development and correct conventions. Weekly spelling routines, listening instruction during read alouds, and class discussions invite students to view, discuss, and interact with academic language. Reading skills are comprehensive in nature, addressing grammar, discriminative listening, and ways to develop responses through Turn and Talk.
  
  Interactive Literacy: Changing the Face of Whole-Group and Small-Group Instruction (264k)
  
  Vocabulary
  
  Literacy by Design offers meaningful vocabulary instruction of Tier II and Tier III words across content-area themes following Dr. Robert Marzano’s six-step vocabulary model. Academic vocabulary is addressed in each of the six steps during Whole Class Instruction: Explain, Restate, Show, Discuss, Reflect and Refine, and Apply in Learning Game.
  
  A Six-Step Process for Teaching Vocabulary (206k)
  
  Speaking and Listening
  
  Daily whole class discussions help students clearly express their ideas in a variety of settings. Explicit instruction on specific listening skills occurs during modeled read alouds. Explicit instruction on both speaking and listening occurs during multiple classroom discussions, including student presentations of their writing on publication day.
  
  Writing
  
  Literacy by Design writing is designed to complement reading instruction by providing a full range of developmentally appropriate writing tasks that ask students to rely on personal experiences, texts encountered during reading, and their imaginations. Students write about their reading to communicate and answer questions; they also write for self-expression. The reading-writing connection is strong as students will encounter a mentor text in their reading that will be directly related to each writing form they will encounter during writing.
  
  Each theme focuses on one form of writing and includes a writer’s model based on developmentally appropriate models from the CCSS.
  
  Writing Instruction (245k)
  
  Foundational Skills
  
  Literacy by Design development was guided by the scientific principles of reading foundational skills: Print Concepts, Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Word Recognition, and Fluency. These foundational skills are modeled, shared, and applied in independent practice to help students develop into proficient readers across multiple text types. Theme selections alternate between Science and Social Studies content to extend skills across disciplines.
  
  Meaningful Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Instruction (247k)
  
  Fluency
  
  Literacy by Design places an emphasis on fluency as one part of a strong reading foundation. Dr. Michael Opitz’s research on fluency guided the design of the program to include repeated readings, choral reading, reader’s theater, and time to practice these strategies. During whole class instruction, teachers model fluency skills every day. Systematic and explicit fluency instruction occurs in every small group lesson, where students receive differentiated instruction targeted to their skill level.
  
  A Focus on Fluency (312k)
  
  Literacy by Design® is a registered trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
- Gradual Release of Responsibility Model
  
  Gradual Release of Responsibility Model
  
  Literacy by Design^® incorporates the gradual release of responsibility model—the underlying principle of a balanced literacy approach—into the instructional design for reading and writing. The gradual release of responsibility model is sometimes described as I do/we do/you do. Students move through modeled, shared, interactive, and small group reading and writing to become empowered, independent readers and writers.
  
  Using this approach, teachers guide students through important skills and strategies, building layers of knowledge and ability. Because students receive the right skill instruction at the right time, with plenty of opportunities for practice and application, their confidence grows with each learning achievement. The end result is skilled independent learners, certain in their ability to embark upon new challenges.
  
  The strategic design of the program ensures success on upcoming Common Core Assessments for every student by teaching grade-level skills along with developmental skills—all within a structure that supports a balanced literacy model of instruction.
  
  Read More (304k)
  
  Literacy by Design® is a registered trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
- Five Step Lesson Plan
  Consistent Lesson Plan in Five Steps
  
  Teachers can easily manage their days with a simple five-step lesson plan that guides students through whole class instruction with supportive links to differentiated instruction in small groups. All five steps are housed in grab-and-go booklets in the Comprehensive Teacher’s Guide.
  - Concise, consistent, and connected reading, writing, listening, speaking, and critical thinking instruction
  - Integrated 21st-century skills
  - Strategies that grow with students
  - Theme-centered content shared across reading and writing lessons
  Step 1 Build Reading Skills
  
  Build the foundation for comprehension with grade-level skill instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and fluency.
  
  Step 2 Read and Comprehend
  
  Focus on a single comprehension strategy throughout each theme, using nonfiction and fiction selections in an array of genres.
  
  Differentiate: Small Group and Independent Reading
  
  Use the Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide with grab-and-go booklets for each Rigby^® level and Comprehension Bridge Cards to teach small group reading while other students work independently utilizing Graphic Organizers for support.
  
  Step 3 Support Reading Independence
  
  Gather Students to discuss their understanding and application of the focus comprehension strategy.
  
  Step 4 Build Writing Skills
  
  Build writing skills in a writing form and focus trait, while providing contextualized instruction in process, grammar, and craft.
  
  Differentiate: Small Group and Independent Writing
  
  Use the Writing Bridge Cards and Writing Resource Guide to teach small group writing while other students work independently utilizing Graphic Organizers for support.
  
  Step 5 Support Writing Independence
  
  Bring students together to reflect on and share their own writing experiences.
  
  Literacy by Design® and Rigby® are registered trademarks of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
- Authors
  
  Meet the Literacy by Design author team.
  
  Linda Hoyt, M.A. - Program Author
  
  Linda Hoyt has many years of experience as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, Title I teacher, Title I coordinator, staff developer, and curriculum developer. Her special love is creating environments where fiction and nonfiction literacy thrive and children are empowered as readers, thinkers, and decision makers.
  
  She is currently working as a full time author/consulting teacher supporting staff development in districts across the country where she has the opportunity to support teachers, readers, and writers at work in their own classrooms. Ms. Hoyt has created numerous professional books and video programs.
  
  Linda Hoyt is coauthor of Rigby^® Literacy by Design^® and Rigby Professional Development.
  
  Robert Marzano, Ph.D. - Program Author
  
  Robert Marzano is cofounder and CEO of Marzano Research Laboratory in Englewood, Colorado. A leading researcher in education, Dr. Marzano is a speaker, trainer, and author of more than 30 books and 150 articles on topics such as instruction, assessment, writing and implementing standards, cognition, effective leadership, and school intervention. His practical translations of the most current research and theory into classroom strategies are internationally known and widely practiced by both teachers and administrators.
  
  Dr. Marzano is coauthor of Holt McDougal Literature, Rigby Literacy by Design, and Rigby^® On Our Way to English^®.
  
  Dr. Marzano received a bachelor’s degree from Iona College in New York, a master’s degree from Seattle University, and a doctorate from the University of Washington.
  
  Michael Opitz, Ph.D. - Program Author
  
  Dr. Opitz is currently a professor of Elementary Education and Reading at the University of Northern Colorado. He began his career in education as an elementary teacher. He worked as a reading specialist for 15 years and also taught undergraduate and graduate literacy courses at the University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo, Colorado. Dr. Opitz is the author and co-author of several books on reading instruction and strategies. He works in selected classrooms in the U.S. and abroad planning, teaching, and evaluating demonstration lessons focused on different aspects of literacy. He has presented at various conferences and workshops, including the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association.
  
  Dr. Opitz helped develop the conceptual framework, the lesson design, and lesson plans for the 120 books across five themes in the Steck-Vaughn^® Pair-It Extreme series that uses recurring action figure characters and 3D imagery to spark interest among children, with an emphasis on reaching out to boys categorized as reluctant readers. He is also co-author of Rigby^®Literacy by Design^®, Rigby Intervention by Design^®, Rigby Literacy Access^®, Great Source^® Summer Success Reading^®, Great Source Aftershool Achiever's Reading Club, and Great Source Daybook of Critical Reading and Writing.
  
  Dr. Opitz received his B.A. cum laude in elementary education and his M.A. in education with reading emphasis from the University of Northern Colorado. He received his Ph.D. in reading and language arts from the University of Oregon.
  
  Sharon Hill, M.Ed. - Consultant
  
  Sharon Hill, M.Ed., is coauthor of The No-Nonsense Guide to Teaching Writing: Strategies, Structures, Solutions. An educator with many years of experience, she has served most recently as a teacher, literacy staff developer, and school administrator. She also has been a presenter at workshops, summer institutes, and conferences across the United States and Sweden for K–8 teachers.
  
  David Freeman, Ph.D. - Program Author
  
  Dr. David Freeman is a professor of Reading and ESL and the chair of the Language, Literacy, and Intercultural Studies Department for The University of Texas at Brownsville. He is interested in reading, linguistics, second language acquisition, and bilingual education. Dr. Freeman presents regularly at international, national, and state conferences including NABE (National Association of Bilingual Education), TABE (Texas Association of Bilingual Education), NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English), IRA (International Reading Association), and TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), and gives featured and keynote presentations across the country with his wife, Yvonne Freeman. David Freeman has published articles and book chapters jointly with his wife, and separately on the topics of linguistics, second language teaching, reading, biliteracy, bilingual education, Spanish children’s literature, and second language acquisition.
  
  David and Yvonne Freeman are authors of the Rigby programs On Our Way to English and Literacy by Design. They have also recently authored a new Rigby product, STEEL™ (Strategic Teaching Essentials for English Learners), a professional development program for teachers to support their teaching of ELLs.
  
  Dr. Freeman received his B.A. in english Literature from Dartmouth College, his M.A. in education from Stanford University, and his M.A. in ESL and Ph.D. in linguistics from the University of Arizona.
  
  Yvonne Freeman, Ph.D. - Program Author
  
  Dr. Yvonne Freeman is a Professor of Bilingual Education at The University of Texas at Brownsville. She is interested in bilingual education, second language acquisition, and literacy education for English learners. She presents regularly at international, national, and state conferences-including NABE (National Association of Bilingual Education), TABE (Texas Association of Bilingual Education), NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English), IRA (International Reading Association), and TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) and with her husband, David Freeman, gives featured and keynote presentations across the country. Yvonne Freeman has published articles and book chapters jointly with her husband and separately on the topics of second language teaching, biliteracy, bilingual education, Spanish children’s literature, and second language acquisition.
  
  Dr. Freeman is a coauthor of Rigby programs On Our Way to English and Literacy by Design. She has also recently coauthored a new Rigby product, STEEL (Strategic Teaching Essentials for English Learners), a professional development program for teachers to support their teaching of ELLs.
  
  Dr. Freeman received her B.A. in Spanish from U.C. Santa Barbara, her M.A. in education from Stanford University, and her M.A. in ESL and Ph.D. in elementary education from the University of Arizona.
  
  Literacy by Design®, and Rigby®, On Our Way to English®, Great Source®, Summer Success®, Intervention by Design™, and STEEL™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
- Professional Development for Literacy by Design
  
  Integrated Professional Development in Literacy by Design^®
  
  Included in your Literacy by Design® program is professional development with multiple modes of delivery ensure teachers receive ongoing support.
  
  modes of delivery ensure teachers receive ongoing support.
  
  Online Implementation Training Website
  
  This easily accessible website is available on demand, and features interactive modules plus classroom videos demonstrating implementation.
  
  Watch Videos
  
  Professional Handbooks
  
  The handbooks feature in-depth coverage about developing literacy and managing differentiation; program overviews for each grade are also available.
  
  HMH Professional Services
  
  HMH Professional Services offers additional programs and services above and beyond what is included with your Literacy by Design program.
  
  Learn More
  
  Literacy by Design® is a registered trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Features
Literacy by Design^® is a comprehensive, balanced literacy program for K–5 students that provides complete coverage of the Common Core State Standards. The concise, consistent framework provides teachers with easy-to-follow lessons plans and a gradual release of responsibility model to empower students. Utilizing the workshop model, Literacy by Design lessons link literacy skills across the curriculum with integrated Science and Social Studies content.

Teacher and student resources are available in print, online, and through mobile applications to encourage active literacy in the classroom and beyond.

Literacy by Design® is a registered trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Explore More
- Reading Workshop
  Literacy by Design^®: was built on a solid foundation supported by research in the five pillars of reading instruction set forth by the National Reading Panel:
  - Comprehension
  - Vocabulary
  - Fluency
  - Phonemic Awareness
  - Phonics and Concepts of Print
  Literacy by Design’s reading instructional model contains everything students need to build reading skills. Step-by-step whole class, small group, and independent reading are all part of the integrated program.
  
  Whole Class Reading
  
  Build the foundation for comprehension with grade-level modeled, teacher-focused reading and skill instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, word study, vocabulary, and fluency. Students focus on a single comprehension strategy throughout each theme using nonfiction and fiction selections in an array of genres.
  
  All grades feature instruction from the Comprehensive Teacher’s Guide following steps 1–3 of the five step daily lesson plan. Over each two week theme, students will progress through the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model in both Reading and Writing. Student materials are different in primary and intermediate grades:
  
  Grades K–2 Whole Class Reading Materials
  - 16 Big Books (16 titles)
  - 160 Small Version Big Books (16 titles, 10 copies of each)
  - Whole Class Charts, Vol. 1 and 2
  - Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
  Grades 3–5 Whole Class Reading Materials
  - Sourcebooks, Vol. 1 and 2
  - Reading Projectables
  - Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
  Comprehension Organizers
  
  Literacy by Design uses a common comprehension strategy to link whole class, small group, and independent reading—all within a balanced literacy framework. Graphic Organizers for every strategy maintain a consistent look and feel and increase in complexity as students progress through the grades.
  
  Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
  
  Whether you are using a SMART Board^®, Promethean^®, or another type of interactive whiteboard device, Literacy by Design Interactive Whiteboard Lessons are compatible and easy to use. Simply make sure you have ActivInspire^® on your computer before downloading. ActivInspire can be downloaded for free online.
  
  Download Sample Interactive Whiteboard Lessons for Comprehension:
  
  Grade 1 (1.2MB)
  
  Grade 2 (1.1MB)
  
  Grade 3 (2.4MB)
  
  Grade 5 (1.3MB)
  
  Link Understanding with Comprehension Bridges
  
  Literacy by Design is the only program that uses a common comprehension strategy to link whole class, small group, and independent reading—all within a balanced literacy framework. Comprehension Bridge Cards link the whole class comprehension strategy to the two lesson plans for each leveled reader. Cards are two-sided flip charts with engaging student views and detailed teacher views for instruction:
  - Build Reading Skills helps teachers walk students through each key comprehension strategy.
  - Read and Comprehend allows the teacher to address each strategy at the small group level, tailoring it to the specific needs of each level.
  - Support Reading Independence lays out specific activities that require students to apply strategies independently.
  Differentiated comprehension instruction ensures that students of all levels progress towards their comprehension goals. Assessment rubics are used to evaluate mastery of the comprehension strategy.
  
  Build Independence with Small Group Reading
  
  The Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide provides two complete lesson plans for every Literacy by Design leveled reader, all in convenient grab-and-go booklets. Comprehension Bridge Cards and finely leveled, engaging texts work with the Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide to provide comprehensive, differentiated small group instruction.
  - Lesson plans align phonics, vocabulary, and fluency instruction to developmental reading levels.
  - Struggling learners receive intervention, above-level learners receive challenging and on-level skills and strategies, and on-level learners receive targeted instruction at their level.
  - Flexible instruction allows teachers to choose between reinforcing whole class skills or teaching new skills based on students’ needs.
  - Built-in ELL strategies and vocabulary support are equally helpful for struggling learners.
  Release Responsibility with Independent Reading
  
  Giving students plenty of time to read independently is key to building reading stamina—increasingly important for performing well on Common Core assessments. At-a-glace resources help teachers organize independent reading time and select appropriate materials to ensure students benefit fully; students are supported with Graphic Organizers, reading logs and tips for independent reading from the Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide, and classroom posters.
  
  All leveled text selections meet the interest level and content-area standards of the appropriate grade, including chapter books for Grades 3–5. A wide variety of fiction texts promote genre study while nonfiction selections feature theme-linked science and social studies content with text features for practicing nonfiction reading skills.
  
  Literacy by Design® is a registered trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. SMART Board® is a registered trademark of SMART Technologies ULC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Promethean® is a registered trademark of Promethean Limited. ActivInspire® is a registered trademark of Promethean Limited.
- Writing Workshop
  Writing Workshop
  
  Students will need strong writing communications skills in any future career. Literacy by Design^®: incorporates a full hour of writing instruction each day, which can be tailored to suit a variety of implementation models. Literacy by Design provides instruction on a consistent writing skill across whole class, small group, and independent writing.
  
  Mentor Texts as Role Models
  
  Finding mentors and having opportunities for practice are critical to developing expertise in any area. Literacy by Design uses key reading selections as mentor texts that exemplify the traits of good writing and provide students with models for their own writing.
  
  Whole Class Writing
  
  Each theme focuses on one form and one trait and also supports a target organizational pattern and two key grammar concepts. Students are supported in completing at least one major writing project per ten-lesson theme. Contextualized instruction focusing on process, grammar, and craft can be used flexibly as applicable to student writing.
  
  All grades feature instruction from the Comprehensive Teacher’s Guide following steps 4-5 of the five step daily lesson plan and the Writing Resource Guide. Over each two week theme, students will progress through the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model in both Reading and Writing. Student materials are different in primary and intermediate grades:
  
  Grades K–2 Whole Class Writing Materials
  - Interactive Writing Charts
  - Big Book format Writer’s Handbook
  - Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
  Grades 3–5 Whole Class Writing Materials
  - Sourcebooks, Vol. 1 and 2
  - Writing Projectables
  - Writer’s Handbook
  - Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
  Writing Form and Organizational Pattern Organizers
  
  Students are supported in whole class, small group, and independent writing with Graphic Organizers for every writing form and pattern. Organizers maintain a consistent look and feel and increase in complexity as students progress through the grades.
  
  Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
  
  Whether you are using a SMART Board^®, Promethean^®, or another type of interactive whiteboard device, Literacy by Design Interactive Whiteboard Lessons are compatible and easy to use. Simply make sure you have ActivInspire^® on your computer before downloading. ActivInspire can be downloaded for free online.
  
  Download Sample IWB lessons for Writing:
  
  Grade K (1MB)
  
  Grade 4 (770k)
  
  Writing Bridges Connect Instruction
  
  Writing Bridge Cards provide targeted mini-lessons and a direct link from whole class to small group instruction. Cards are two-sided flip charts with engaging student views containing short, student-friendly passages to illustrate the important elements of the target writing skill. Detailed teacher views for instruction include:
  - Build Writing Skills helps teachers walk students through each key skill, form, or trait
  - Write and Analyze allows the teacher to address each skill, form, process, or trait at the small group level, tailoring it to the specific needs of each level
  - Support Writing Independence lays out specific activities, such as conferencing, that support students as they write on their own.
  Build Independence with Small Group Writing
  
  Literacy by Design’s balanced literacy approach builds skills and confidence in writing while addressing individual needs. The Comprehensive Teacher’s Guide provides suggestions for small group writing differentiation including direct skill instruction, supporting peer-to-peer collaboration, and conferencing.
  
  The Writing Resource Guide includes graphic organizers, grammar and craft lessons, writing assessment rubrics, and anchor papers that provide snapshots of writing development.
  
  Release Responsibility with Independent Writing
  
  With Literacy by Design, students have daily opportunities for independent writing practice. Students always return to the whole group setting to reflect on and share their own writing experiences. At-a-glace resources help teachers organize independent writing time; students are supported with Graphic Organizers, the Writer’s Handbook, and various tools from the Writing Resource Guide.
  
  Literacy by Design® is a registered trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. SMART Board® is a registered trademark of SMART Technologies ULC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Promethean® is a registered trademark of Promethean Limited. ActivInspire® is a registered trademark of Promethean Limited.
- Leveled Readers
  
  Brought to you by Rigby^®, the leader in leveled texts, Literacy by Design^® Leveled Readers have been specifically designed to teach reading. Eight levels of text at each grade provide incremental progression, ensuring each student has the right amount of support and challenge at the right time. Kindergarten uses four levels of readers, including a level of wordless text for building phonemic awareness and concepts of print. Thousands of additional leveled readers are available online in our Online Database.
  
  Connected to Theme Content and Grade Level Interest
  
  Science and Social Studies theme connections are designed to build academic vocabulary and introduce the text features critical for content-area text. All leveled text selections meet the interest level and content-area standards of the appropriate grade, including chapter books for Grades 3–5.
  
  Small Group Reading Teacher Guide Lessons
  
  Every title has two lesson plans that include developmentally appropriate skills and strategies to ensure that gaps in understanding are filled or enrichment is provided while students continue to have access to on-grade level skills instruction in the whole group.
  
  Fiction and Nonfiction Features
  
  High-interest books engage and support students as they practice and apply reading strategies. Grades K–2 includes 50% nonfiction and 50% fiction, while Grades 3–5 includes 60% nonfiction and 40% fiction.
  
  Nonfiction leveled readers focus on science and social studies topics, with an emphasis on reading for information and navigating nonfiction text features.
  
  Appealing fiction leveled readers provide ample reading practice, allowing students to build their reading stamina over time.
  
  HMH Readers App
  
  The HMH Readers App for iPad^® provides reading support for all students, whether they read on, below, or above grade level. HMH Readers features audio, highlighting, and bookmarks for Literacy by Design Leveled Readers.
  
  Watch Video
  
  Apple, the Apple logo, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Literacy by Design® and Rigby® are registered trademarks of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt..
- Digital Learning
  Literacy by Design^® offers everything in print online, plus more. Digital technology utilizes interactive whiteboards, tablets, eReaders, and computers to meet the evolving needs of the 21st-century classroom. Using online and mobile resources, teachers, students, and parents can access the Literacy by Design curriculum almost anywhere.
  
  Watch Videos
  
  Teacher eResources
  
  Convenient access for teachers includes resources for professional development, program implementation, lesson planning, and assessment.
  
  Literacy by Design Teacher Gateway
  
  The Literacy by Design Teacher Gateway puts all your resources in one easy-to-navigate online portal. View, schedule, and assign with a simple click:
  - Teacher’s Guides and ancillaries
  - Professional Development Implementation Website
  - Common Core State Standards tab
  - Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
  Watch Videos
  
  GMRT Interactive Results Manager
  
  The GMRT^® Interactive Results Manager™(iRM™) is a dynamic tool for quickly analyzing test results. With a few clicks of a mouse, teachers and administrators can view reports, analyze performance, and have the date they need to create effective instructional plans.
  
  Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
  
  Whether you are using a SMART Board^®, Promethean^®, or another type of interactive whiteboard device, Literacy by Design Interactive Whiteboard Lessons are compatible and easy to use. Simply make sure you have ActivInspire^® on your computer before downloading. ActivInspire can be downloaded for free online.
  
  All graphic organizers are available as Interactive Whiteboard Lessons. Use pre-filled examples to introduce concepts and general lessons for whole class, collaborative instruction during interactive and shared reading.
  
  Grade K (1.0MB)
  
  Grade 1 (1.2MB)
  
  Grade 2 (1.0MB)
  
  Grade 3 (2.3MB)
  
  Grade 4 (770k)
  
  Grade 5 (1.2MB)
  
  Student eResources
  
  Customizable student resources allow access to Leveled Readers, Big Books (Grades K–2), Sourcebooks (Grades 3–5), student assignments, and grades at school, home, or anywhere with an Internet connection. All student resources include audio, highlighting, and sticky note support. Students can access a variety of digital resources in their online Literacy by Design library.
  
  Watch it in action (Grade 1)
  
  Watch it in action (Grade 4)
  
  Developmental Phonics Activities
  
  Reinforce phonics lessons from small group instruction and provide additional support with:
  - Grade K–2 activities to support reading independence
  - Grade 3–5 activities to help students progress to grade-level achievement
  Interactive Literacy by Design
  
  Literacy by Design provides an array of interactive tools and activities for teachers and students, including:
  - Professional development with implementation support
  - Tips from Literacy by Design authors
  - Classroom videos of Literacy by Design in action
  - Interactive Phonics Activities
  Watch it in action (Grade 1)
  
  Watch it in action (Grade 4)
  
  HMH Readers App
  
  Put an entire library at your students’ fingertips! This mobile reading program features leveled nonfiction and fiction texts to reinforce reading skills, promote academic vocabulary acquisition, and improve reading fluency & comprehension in young readers in Grades K–6. The HMH Readers app provides reading support for teachers, parents and all students, whether they read on, below, or above grade level. HMH Readers features audio, highlighting, and bookmarking capabilities as well as each search and browsing by title, author, or key word.
  
  Watch it in action!
  
  Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Window 8® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. SMART Board® is a registered trademark of SMART Technologies ULC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Promethean® is a registered trademark of Promethean Limited. ActivInspire® is a registered trademark of Promethean Limited. Literacy by Design®, GMRT®, and Interactive Results Manager™ (iRM™) are trademarks or registered trademarks of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
- Placement Tests and Assessment
  Maximize instructional time using Literacy by Design’s^® streamlined assessment tools. Tools for Placement, on-the-spot assessments, and measuring long-term progress combine to give a comprehensive view of each student’s progress. Literacy by Design assessments will evolve with PARCC and SBAC to ensure your students are prepared on national exams.
  
  Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT)
  
  The Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests^® (GMRT^®) is a valid, reliable assessment that pinpoints strengths and development areas in comprehension, phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, and vocabulary. Use the GMRT as a diagnostic assessment to determine individual reading levels for placement in reading instruction.
  
  A mid-year form of the GMRT provides formative assessment data on gains in student progress, and the GMRT is revisited at the end of the school year to provide a summative view of student progress.
  
  Using the GMRT’s Interactive Results Manager™ (iRM™), teachers can quickly create ranked class, building, and system lists of student scores; save reports as PDF files; and export data to Microsoft^® and Excel^®.
  Take a Tour
  Our online product tour shows you how easy it is to test and place students and use the iRM to analyze assessment data to drive instruction.
  
  Reliable Tools for Assessment and Progress Monitoring
  
  Online Assessment
  
  With convenient Online Assessment tools, teachers can assign Literacy by Design assessments or create their own tests. Both online assessments and paper-pencil tests can be scheduled and assigned through the Teacher Gateway, and paper-pencil tests can be printed.
  
  Watch it in action (Grade 1)
  
  Watch it in action (Grade 4)
  
  Benchmarks for Ongoing Evaluation
  
  Benchmark Books with quick accuracy checks provide ongoing assessment and help teachers determine when students are ready to move up and feature:
  - Leveled passages for assessing fluency
  - Eight titles per grade level with one fiction and one nonfiction selection for each title
  - All levels available online
  Theme Progress Tests
  
  Tests accompanying every theme assess student mastery of vocabulary, comprehension, phonics, word study, grammar, writing, and literary analysis skills. Reteaching suggestions help teachers better prepare students for the cumulative mid- and end-of-year Theme Progress Tests. Extended-response questions are open-book and allow students to find text evidence for their answers.
  
  Ongoing Test Practice
  
  Standardized test practice is built into the Literacy by Design structure, allowing students to apply their learning in a testing environment to ensure better cumulative results. Extended response questions give additional practice for students to write about their reading and use text evidence.
  
  Writing Assessment with Sample Papers
  
  The Literacy by Design Writing Assessment Rubric in the Writing Resource Guide allows teachers to determine a student’s developmental stage of writing and confidently build a plan for next steps in writing instruction.
  
  Rubrics for Differentiation
  
  Rubrics built into Comprehension and Writing Bridge Cards allow for on-the-spot assessment, enabling teachers to address specific skills and individual needs.
  
  Literacy by Design®, Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests®, GMRT®, and Interactive Results Manager™ (iRM™) are trademarks or registered trademarks of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Microsoft® and Excel® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
- Intervention and ELL Resources
  Response to Intervention
  
  Literacy by Design^® provides multiple strategies for supporting learners at a variety of developmental levels and with a variety of different needs. Daily instruction provides integrated Tier 1 support, and progress monitoring helps teachers determine if students need additional Tier 2 support. For intensive, Tier 3 intervention, see the complementary program Intervention by Design™ below.
  
  Integrated Tier 1 and Tier 2 Support in Literacy by Design
  - The Comprehensive Teacher’s Guide includes daily differentiated reading and writing support
  - Point-of-use boxes include tips for supporting struggling readers (as well as suggestions for enrichment)
  - Preview-View-Review strategies designed to support ELL students in mainstream instruction assist struggling readers as well
  - Small Group instruction uses incrementally leveled readers along with Small Group Reading Teacher’s Guide lessons designed to meet individual student needs
  - Biweekly assessments allow teachers to monitor students to determine the need to move to Tier 2
  Tier 3 Support with Intervention by Design
  
  Designed by Literacy by Design author and literacy expert Dr. Michael Opitz, Intervention by Design helps you fill foundational gaps while connecting to the core curriculum. Intervention by Design is generally implemented as a Tier 3 solution but is occasionally used for Tier 2 intervention.
  
  Intervention by Design accelerates students toward grade-level reading with intensive intervention that:
  - Addresses gaps in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and fluency
  - Focuses on the comprehension skills most critical to grade-level success
  - Differentiates instruction, practice, and assessment according to student need
  - Empowers interventionists and key personnel in reinforcing and extending skills taught in the core classroom
  - Correlates with any core literacy program, especially Literacy by Design.
  Learn More
  
  Key Features
  
  Teaching Cards
  
  Easy-to-use Teaching Cards target each student’s need in all five pillars of reading.
  
  Leveled Readers
  
  Leveled Readers differentiate instruction at each student’s specific instructional reading level.
  
  Review Routines
  
  Review Routines reinforce and build mastery of reading skills.
  
  Comprehension Bridge Cards
  
  Comprehension Bridge Cards for intervention reinforce the comprehension strategies taught in the core classroom.
  
  Integrated ELL Support in Literacy by Design
  
  ELL experts Drs. Yvonne S. Freeman and David E. Freeman designed the integrated ELL scaffolding in Literacy by Design. The unique Preview-View-Review instructional routine supports English language learners in participating in mainstream instruction instead of separating them from other learners.
  
  Preview-View-Review
  
  Literacy by Design provides concept, vocabulary, and grammar support in a Preview before shared reading. Graphic Organizers used as visual anchors for the Big Books and other selections enable pre-teaching of concepts and vocabulary and then support students during shared reading during View. Finally, during Review, vocabulary and grammar are practiced and extended as students talk about the text the class has read.
  
  Science and Social Studies Themes
  
  Literacy by Design’s curriculum is organized around Science and Social Studies themes to offer multiple opportunities to recycle and reuse academic language.
  
  Spanish Cognates
  
  Spanish cognates offer targeted support to Spanish-speaking English language learners by connecting to primary language vocabulary knowledge.
  
  Academic Language Building
  
  Dr. Robert Marzano’s research-proven, six-step vocabulary routine provides a systematic approach to vocabulary development:
  1. Explain
  2. Restate
  3. Show
  4. Discuss
  5. Reflect and Refine
  6. Apply in Learning Game
  Literacy by Design® and Intervention by Design™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Resources
There’s always more to discover at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Reading and Literacy Resources

Explore Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s reading and literacy resources that further develop students’ literary comprehension skills.
Reading and Writing In The News

You and your students can stay connected to current events and interact with an online community right here with HMH In the News. The student-friendly site features:
- Current events and topic videos
- Monthly calendar with important dates
- National and world news, events and more!
Games and Activities

Your students can practice skills in a fun, interactive way online.

Houghton Mifflin Eduplace

Houghton Mifflin Eduplace is a website full of fun and engaging games for Grades 1–5 that augment classroom lessons and improve retention and skill acquisition.

Features
- Crosswords, Web Word Find, and Wacky Web Tales word games
- Power Proofreading and more skills practice
Helpful Videos

Literacy by Design® is a registered trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
HMH Professional Services

Our Mission Is to Advance Yours

HMH Professional Services forges student-centered partnerships with schools and districts in the belief that all learners deserve a quality education and the opportunity for lifelong success.

HMH Professional Services includes teachers, leaders, and technologists. Our Professional Learning Consultants become part of your team, working right beside you to build and implement professional learning plans that respect the unique needs and culture of your school or district community. Through program, practice, and technical services, we work collaboratively to unlock the full potential of every student, teacher, and leader.

Comprehensive Services for K–12 Educators

We offer teachers and instructional leaders a full suite of learning and support to deepen their mastery and hone their teaching skills throughout the school year.

$school-year-chart$

Visit us at hmhco.com/professionalservices to learn more.

AskHMH™ is a trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.